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Rising Water Levels Due to Heavy Rainfall

Since the first of the month, southeastern Ohio has seen nearly two inches of rain and the team at the Dillon Dam is hard at work to control flooding.

Scattered showers have been dominating our weather for nearly two weeks, and are forecasted to continue, which means constant monitoring of water levels.

"We monitor the situation, we keep up with it as best as possible, and see what is happening with this intermittent showers,” said Project Manager, Clifton Kilpatrick. “It’s kind of hard because they come in at a brief moment, pour out a lot of rain, and then we have to try to make the necessary adjustments. "

Frequent and sudden rainfall, with totals of an inch or more, can also cause problems in other areas the Dillon Dam does not monitor.

"Well right now the ground is very saturated, and so water is not going to soak in, it’s going to keep flowing and so in some places, are more saturated than others, and so they are going to be more likely to have some standing water, some high water, some areas that are going to be inundated."

Kilpatrick says all they can do for now is wait for the next storm to happen and make proper adjustments when needed.